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3232Doug Jones Win: Hold Your Celebrationhttps://www.firebrandcentral.com/doug-jones-win-hold-celebration/2017/12/16/
https://www.firebrandcentral.com/doug-jones-win-hold-celebration/2017/12/16/#respondSat, 16 Dec 2017 23:05:15 +0000https://www.firebrandcentral.com/?p=5337Is the Doug Jones Senatorial win only a symbolic one for the Left? A former federal prosecutor, Doug Jones, beat former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, in a special election to fill the Senatorial seat formerly held by now Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Jones won the nod to become Senator-Elect for the State of Alabama by a one-percent margin on Wednesday. Many progressives and liberals are rejoicing over the hair-splitting… Read More »

Is the Doug Jones Senatorial win only a symbolic one for the Left?

A former federal prosecutor, Doug Jones, beat former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, in a special election to fill the Senatorial seat formerly held by now Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Jones won the nod to become Senator-Elect for the State of Alabama by a one-percent margin on Wednesday.

Many progressives and liberals are rejoicing over the hair-splitting victory for the Alabama senate seat, and even gloating over the prospect they’ll have the opportunity to rub the nose of their right-wing counterparts into the political dog dropping. But what does this win really represent? Some suggest that the election of Jones illuminates a victory for the Black community and the #MeToo movement; a win against racism and sexual assault. Is this truly the case or are people being hypnotized by the optics instead focusing on the substance? Let’s take a deeper look at the implications of the voter breakdown and what it means.

Doug Jones win by Race and Gender: Black and White

In the chart below, here’s the breakdown of the voter demographic that narrowly gave the senate seat to Doug Jones:

Doug Jones beats Roy Moore by marginal votes

In this second chart (below), Doug Jones wins the 2017 Alabama Senatorial Election (run-off) by an extremely small margin; one small enough to trigger a vote recount by Roy Moore:

What the poll numbers and demographics say about Alabama voters and the country at large

First of all, it’s clear that by looking at the poll numbers that the Democrat Doug Jones won this Senatorial election by the proverbial skin of his teeth. With a margin at just over 1%, this was far from a landslide victory and it’s obvious that determination in voter turnout by the Black community played a major role in putting Jones over the top. Most of all, when you look at the demographics, the high majority of whites (men and women) voted for the Republican Roy Moore, despite the allegations railed against him, in regards to racism and pedophilia. The black voter turnout for Doug Jones was overwhelmingly in his favor; as a result, Jones rolled to victory. With all of this being said, it’s quite clear to see that the weight of voting continues to fall more along racial lines, rather than gender and sex.

Last, Roy Moore received votes from the white female majority in Alabama; Moore received those votes irrespective of the sexual misconduct claims coming out and the spread of the #MeToo movement. This phenomenon isn’t an unfamiliar one, as Donald J. Trump, now the 45th President of the U.S., received approximately 53% of the white women vote. According to The Atlantic, Trump received “45%” of the white women vote from college-educated women and “62%” from non-college educated women. Trump is also a target of many sexual assault and misconduct allegations but still received the majority white female vote. The overwhelming majority of the charges of sexual misconduct are by white women.

The lesson learned from the Alabama Senate Election

In conclusion, It’s only a symbolic win for the Left. This marginal win says more about what’s wrong with the populous than what’s right. It says that gaining and maintaining power still overrides justice, even in the event of racism, sexism, and abuse. And women are certainly no less guilty of this; black or white. There’s still a lot of work to do. A lot of work in regards to making a better country, but we all must first be honest with ourselves. Do we want justice for all or we still only want it for a select few? Until we find a way to truly come together, this divide will continue as it always has.

Electing one man in one state certainly won’t change this because, as we move one step forward, we can move five steps back. We’ve been stepping back for quite some time. The poll numbers and the demographics tell bitter truths we all need to swallow; the red pill; not the blue one. The enemy remains determined so don’t throw up the confetti yet. The war continues.

]]>https://www.firebrandcentral.com/doug-jones-win-hold-celebration/2017/12/16/feed/0Russia and The Gullible American Publichttps://www.firebrandcentral.com/russia-and-the-gullible-american-public/2017/02/03/
https://www.firebrandcentral.com/russia-and-the-gullible-american-public/2017/02/03/#commentsFri, 03 Feb 2017 20:12:15 +0000http://www.firebrandcentral.com/?p=4998Americans fooled by political subterfuge on Russia People consistently fail to utilize their critical thinking. I don’t care what Secretary Clinton or President Obama say. At this date, there’s no definitive proof that Russia interfered in the 2016 Presidential Election by hacking emails. According to the former Obama appointed FBI director James Comey, As far as the WikiLeaks connection, the evidence there is not as strong and we don’t have… Read More »

Americans fooled by political subterfuge on Russia

People consistently fail to utilize their critical thinking. I don’t care what Secretary Clinton or President Obama say. At this date, there’s no definitive proof that Russia interfered in the 2016 Presidential Election by hacking emails.

According to the former Obama appointed FBI director James Comey,

As far as the WikiLeaks connection, the evidence there is not as strong and we don’t have good insight into the sequencing of the releases or when the data may have been provided. We don’t have as good insight into that.

In spite of this, clowns like Senator John McCain are making the rounds spinning the same fanciful tales as President Obama and Secretary Clinton. Russia is accused with flimsy evidence of influencing the election.

The irony of this is astounding. When America has a long sordid history, into the current day, of influencing or interfering with the elections and internal affairs of numerous countries. Vietnam, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Cuba, and Haiti to list a few.

But we are supposed to cry because Russia did it here? No proof of that exists.

President Obama during his time in office has ratcheted up hostilities with Russia. It was President George H.W. Bush that promised Russia he would not expand NATO or send troops and missiles near the Russian border. President Clinton was the first to violate this agreement. President Obama has pushed things even further by openly antagonizing and insulting Vladimir Putin.

Clearly the corporate masters of the US Military Industrial Complex are keen to engage in a violent conflict with Russia. So they have given marching orders to their puppets, including the current president, to lay the rhetorical justification for their desired war.

People that are fairly intelligent are falling for this obvious lie. The meme below is funny and satirizes the dubious nature of the claim that Russia is to blame:

In conclusion: Enough is enough, people. We have yet to see any hard, indisputable proof to support this allegation.

]]>https://www.firebrandcentral.com/russia-and-the-gullible-american-public/2017/02/03/feed/2Why Blacks Should Vote Jill Stein for Presidenthttps://www.firebrandcentral.com/why-blacks-should-vote-jill-stein/2016/11/08/
https://www.firebrandcentral.com/why-blacks-should-vote-jill-stein/2016/11/08/#respondWed, 09 Nov 2016 03:10:49 +0000http://www.firebrandcentral.com/?p=4963The question Blacks must ask themselves voting in 2016 Presidential Election It’s Election Day for 2016. I have to get this message out as expedient as I possibly can (particularly to Blacks) so please read and digest all that you can. Time’s running out so the importance that you read this is crucial. Here we go. Donald Trump runs on the Republican ticket and Hillary Rodham Clinton on the Democratic… Read More »

It’s Election Day for 2016. I have to get this message out as expedient as I possibly can (particularly to Blacks) so please read and digest all that you can. Time’s running out so the importance that you read this is crucial. Here we go.

Donald Trump runs on the Republican ticket and Hillary Rodham Clinton on the Democratic side; these candidates are the two front runners in this Presidential election. With this being said, there’s a profound question for the Black community: How will voting to elect either one of these candidates help Blacks? It’s a profound question that needs to be answered so let’s assess both candidates to what the pros and cons are.

Hillary Clinton has been involved in politics almost her entire life. She’s also the focus of the Podesta emails released by WikiLeaks. Hillary and Bill Clinton’s criminality is confirmed and a potential criminal indictment may be close in Hillary Clinton’s future.

Here’s three video clips of the recent interview of Julian Assange, Editor-in-Chief of WikiLeaks, discussing rumors and the emails regarding Hillary Clinton’s criminality and more:

Hillary Clinton’s record with Blacks in politics

In regards to Mrs. Clinton’s record with the Blacks or the Black community, it’s not a record that reflects any real solidarity or support in promoting the prosperity of the Black community. Michelle Alexander, legal scholar and human rights advocate, wrote about Clinton:

In her support for the 1994 crime bill, for example, she used racially coded rhetoric to cast black children as animals. ‘They are not just gangs of kids anymore,’ she said. ‘They are often the kinds of kids that are called ‘super-predators.’ No conscience, no empathy. We can talk about why they ended up that way, but first we have to bring them to heel.’

Taking all of this into consideration, it’s likely Hillary Rodham Clinton offers little if anything in regards to earning the Black vote.

Donald Trump’s reputation with the Black community

Now, we take a look at Donald J. Trump and what he can offer to Blacks and our struggle. Donald Trump’s rhetoric puts him at the level of a demagogue. Many white supremacists, including the KKK, support his campaign for the Presidency. Former KKK Grand Wizard and Louisiana Senate hopeful David Duke is a big supporter of Trump. Duke told his followers of his radio station, “A vote against Trump is a vote against your heritage.”

Trump’s financial history

Outside of Trump’s social record in regards to race, the casino icon has FOUR chapter 11 bankruptcies and never held any type of public office in his life. He’s never even been a community organizer. It’s hard to consider this man the person you want for fiscal responsibility in the White House, not to mention that he knows nothing about how the government works from the inside. It’s only his narcissistic charm that’s gotten him to think he’s actually qualified.

How voting Green could benefit Blacks in the long term

I’m not going to go into all the things the Green Party discusses or even what it’s offering the Black community. What I’m going to say is that we know that voting for either candidate in the Democratic party or the Republican party for president will not improve our political position. Both parties are basically two sides of the same coin. With the multitude of Blacks being killed in the streets by police with impunity, even President Obama did nothing to stop the bloodshed; the reason why Black Lives Matter was created. Many Internet pundits, public figures, and comedians such as Dr. Boyce Watkins, Tariq Nasheed, and Corey Holcomb aren’t promoting Blacks to go out and vote because of the present condition of the Black community. Tariq Nasheed says “[Blacks] We shouldn’t vote at all!” As much as I respect the opinion and understand the disappoint of these advocates for progress in the Black community, I have to respectfully disagree.

Black voting power and influence by population

Since Blacks make up over 12% of the US population (over 37 million, according to the 2000-2010 US Census), we have the sole power to promote a third party such as the Green Party. Rather than not vote at all, If we vote for Dr. Jill Stein and the Green party, we alone can build the party with granting it 5% or more of the vote, and it will receive the upwards of $10 million dollars for the 2020 presidential candidate for the Green Party. Everyone says “the third party candidate never wins” but since we collectively feel that the duopoly disregards us and only uses us for votes, why not help build up a third party so we can actually have our voices heard with some real seriousness? Not voting could potentially make us look ‘lazy’ and may lead to even more neglect by our government. We always have the option to decline voting but I think we could be missing a significant opportunity to gain real political power and consideration.

Voting choices for Blacks

If our only choices are to vote for Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton, we should absolutely not vote. But this isn’t the case. Voting for Jill Stein and the Green Party could give us the opportunity we need and we shouldn’t vote for Hillary just to stop Trump from being elected. We need to stop voting out of fear. White racism has been a reality from the beginning of this country and Donald Trump, believe it or not, would be a lot less effective in promoting that agenda than Hillary. We need to fight this time and if that means a Trump presidency, so be it. We must find solidarity and unity within our communities and Trump presidency might just make that happen. We need to wake up and deal with the monster that is white supremacy, rather than vote by being scared away from dealing with it as it needs to be; by exercising our vote away from the status quo and taking a chance on a better future.

]]>https://www.firebrandcentral.com/why-blacks-should-vote-jill-stein/2016/11/08/feed/0Innocent Man Smeared in Dallas Police Shootinghttps://www.firebrandcentral.com/innocent-man-smeared-dallas-police-shooting/2016/07/22/
https://www.firebrandcentral.com/innocent-man-smeared-dallas-police-shooting/2016/07/22/#respondFri, 22 Jul 2016 19:25:28 +0000http://www.firebrandcentral.com/?p=4899Innocent Texas Man Smeared without Vindication from Dallas Police Shooting This story of the Dallas Police Shooting makes me sad and angry simultaneously. Mark Hughes, a legal gun owner, carried his AR-15 rifle during the BLM protest in Dallas, Texas. In theory, he has that right in open carry Texas. His brother, Cory, is a leader in the movement. When a sniper began shooting and killing police, Cory wisely told… Read More »

This story of the Dallas Police Shooting makes me sad and angry simultaneously.

Mark Hughes, a legal gun owner, carried his AR-15 rifle during the BLM protest in Dallas, Texas. In theory, he has that right in open carry Texas. His brother, Cory, is a leader in the movement. When a sniper began shooting and killing police, Cory wisely told his brother to give his gun to a policeman to avoid being mistaken for the sniper. Hughes did just that.

There were a few people carrying guns that day. But somehow Mark Hughes was the one whose picture was posted as the suspect in the Dallas Police shooting. “At a press conference broadcast live on Periscope after the shooting, Police Chief David Brown showed an image of Hughes and said, “Do not approach this suspect. We’ll bring him to justice.”

When he was aware of the mistake Hughes turned himself in and cooperated with police. He was released but it took 16 hours before police took his photo off the Internet as a suspect.

Yet police refuse to make a public statement clearing him the same way they promoted him as a criminal suspect. As a result, he is receiving death threats. His wife and children have had to flee their home. He cannot continue to run his business. The Dallas police have made him a target and have no interest in clearing his name.

I don’t believe in coincidence. Out of the 15 people on the scene carrying their guns it just so happens that the brother of one of BLM in leadership is targeted? Not a likely story. And if it was a genuine mistake the Dallas PD should be aggressively clearing his name with the same urgency they besmirched it.

Conversely, white men are allowed to parade around with their rifles and protest. No one bats an eye. White men like Cliven Bundy and his accomplices openly flout law enforcement, make threats, and even point their weapons at them. They are applauded as Patriots and heroes by conservatives. But let Black people exercise our rights and these same right wing, Teabaggers characterize us as law breakers and deserving of whatever treatment police give us.

Please don’t talk to me about the 2nd amendment. We see what happens when Black men are armed or unarmed. Stop lying about us all having the same rights. We don’t. There is no need to bemoan the fact we are not all singing kumbaya and holding hands. The reality is what it is because too many “good and decent Americans” don’t give a damn when we die or how. ‪

]]>https://www.firebrandcentral.com/innocent-man-smeared-dallas-police-shooting/2016/07/22/feed/0Clementa Pinckney, Senator in SC, Killed in Hate Crimehttps://www.firebrandcentral.com/clementa-pinckney-senator-in-sc-killed-in-hate-crime/2015/06/18/
https://www.firebrandcentral.com/clementa-pinckney-senator-in-sc-killed-in-hate-crime/2015/06/18/#respondThu, 18 Jun 2015 14:10:26 +0000http://www.firebrandcentral.com/?p=4765SC State Senator Clementa Pinckney killed in church shooting, called a hate crime PressTV reported that South Carolina State Senator Clementa Pinckney was killed in a church shooting, in Charleston, where nine people were killed. The 41-year-old Clementa Pinckney was pastor of Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church. Pinckney’s sister was also among the people who were shot and killed. The suspect who is reported to be a young white man… Read More »

]]>https://www.firebrandcentral.com/clementa-pinckney-senator-in-sc-killed-in-hate-crime/2015/06/18/feed/0Eric Frein: The Unheralded ‘Terrorist’https://www.firebrandcentral.com/eric-frein-unheralded-terrorist/2015/01/12/
https://www.firebrandcentral.com/eric-frein-unheralded-terrorist/2015/01/12/#respondMon, 12 Jan 2015 14:50:52 +0000http://www.firebrandcentral.com/?p=4630Accused cop killer and terrorist Eric Frein and the many unanswered questions regarding his case Accused Pennsylvania state trooper killer Eric Matthew Frein, 31, appeared in a Pike County courtroom last Monday. The Judge ordered that Frein stand trial on the charges for first degree murder and other charges such as terrorism. Eric Frein was No. 2 on the FBI’s Most Wanted List during the time law enforcement conducted a… Read More »

Accused cop killer and terrorist Eric Frein and the many unanswered questions regarding his case

Accused Pennsylvania state trooper killer Eric Matthew Frein, 31, appeared in a Pike County courtroom last Monday. The Judge ordered that Frein stand trial on the charges for first degree murder and other charges such as terrorism.

Eric Frein was No. 2 on the FBI’s Most Wanted List during the time law enforcement conducted a 48-day manhunt for Frein prior to his apprehension by U.S. Marshals.

Frein is identified as a survivalist and a revolutionary who describes the assassination as a means to “wake people up.”

For such a significant and high profile case as the upcoming Eric Frein Trial, it all begs many questions as to why the fatal shooting of one Pennsylvania state trooper and the wounding of another is barely being covered by the mainstream press with any zeal for in-depth reporting and inquiry.

For a man who was as close to being the most wanted man by the FBI as you can get, who’s being charged with first degree murder of a police officer along with terrorism, it could be considered an anomaly for the mainstream press and media not to give this case more publicity.

If Frein has earned the legal definition of a terrorist and the court finds him guilty of terrorism, it would put Frein in the company of domestic terrorists such as U.S. military veteran and white supremacist Timothy McVeigh, the 1995 Oklahoma City bomber. With that being said, why isn’t Eric Frein in the national spotlight?

A second question: Will Eric Frein be interviewed to discuss his side of story so the public can better understand the mindset of the accused terrorist and cop killer, even after the future trial? Not only would an interview of this magnitude be of public interest but it may shed light onto some of the ills in today’s society that may have helped produce the extreme radicalism emanating from characters such as Eric Frein.

Finally, will the public ever be told the whole truth of what happened and why on that September 12th, 2014, by public officials and the mainstream media? There have been many rumors circulating as to what sparked the shooting but no specifics have been confirmed.

When it comes to alleged domestic terrorism, the public has every right to know what they may be facing in the future.

It’s imperative that the truth is told and it must be told; that’s why the public must and has the right to know about Eric Frein.

]]>https://www.firebrandcentral.com/eric-frein-unheralded-terrorist/2015/01/12/feed/0Truth has No Name; Truth has No Facehttps://www.firebrandcentral.com/truth-name-truth-face/2014/11/06/
https://www.firebrandcentral.com/truth-name-truth-face/2014/11/06/#respondThu, 06 Nov 2014 11:50:13 +0000http://www.firebrandcentral.com/?p=4333The truth can be nameless and faceless through social media Truth; The first obligation of journalism. The obligation to truth has been heavily neglected and discarded through the death of editorial independence, since corporate media’s primary goal appears to be the ‘bottom line’ and political access rather than presenting truthful reporting to the public. Disinformation brings profits and maintains the status quo. Platforms that empower the public to transcend mainstream… Read More »

The truth can be nameless and faceless through social media

Truth; The first obligation of journalism. The obligation to truth has been heavily neglected and discarded through the death of editorial independence, since corporate media’s primary goal appears to be the ‘bottom line’ and political access rather than presenting truthful reporting to the public. Disinformation brings profits and maintains the status quo. Platforms that empower the public to transcend mainstream control: Social media.

Social media has opened many doors of communication for millions of internet users; its given us platform after platform where we can disseminate information and feedback, without the restraints and potential censorship of mainstream media outlets that receive our comments and posts, and decide what they deem as ‘appropriate’ postings on their mediums. “Truth” is no longer solely defined by private and public entities alone; the people now have the power to display what they see as ‘newsworthy’ without being watered down by the political editing.

Along with the opportunity of citizen reporting, the phenomenon of social media also brings us those who enjoy reeking havoc, disrupting, and provoking the public discourse. These social media users are often referred to as “trolls.” Trolls are relentless at pushing narratives and controlling public dialogue, regardless of the negative or positive effect on public discussion. They can be rude, obnoxious, harassing, and even threatening to users throughout the web. They can also be a catalyst for public debate on issues that are being submerged by propaganda and a lack of critical thinking by the public.

Social media has also given us confidentially and anonymity with the exercise of free speech. This gift of anonymity granted by social media is a bittersweet one; it gives protection to political dissent that may bring about reprisal against those who dare to expose malfeasance, while also giving a stage to some of the most heinous, inhumane, and destructive individuals in society.

Despite the undue consequences, the expression of truth must be protected at all costs. Without it, you have a people enslaved by a system of lies and political subterfuge. Without it, what’s created will be the human equivalent of sending the sheep to the slaughter.

The hacktivist group known as Anonymous has shown that protected speech may only be protected through the right of anonymity.

Anonymous:

Few people realize that actions are really what enable society to progress through Freedom of Speech. MLK’s ‘I have a dream’ speech was not nearly as important as the simple act of a black man, in those times, walking up to the podium to speak for the oppressed…On the internet you are given the choice to choose how you represent yourself. In real life, you are represented by the way you look, by the color of your skin, by the clothes you wear, by your accent, by your gender and many other arbitrary things. On the Internet, none of these things matter.

Again, the first obligation of journalism is reporting truth. It’s also referred to as muckraking. In order for the public to make educated decisions on its own future, it must gather credible information to make those decisions and have discourse based on facts.

The best way to way to seek the credible information is through verification. According to veteran journalists Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel,

The discipline of verification is what separates journalism from entertainment, propaganda, fiction, or art. Entertainment–and its cousin ‘infotainment’–focuses on what is most diverting. Propaganda selects facts or invents them to serve the real purpose: persuasion and manipulation. Fiction invents scenarios to get at a more personal impression of what it calls truth.

Truth doesn’t have a race, ethnicity, sex, religion, or personality type; the truth can come from a staunch humanitarian or a social cancer such as a pedophile.

Truths dismissed by distraction and propaganda

We shouldn’t dismiss testimony because we don’t like the messenger. We should evaluate and assess the message with some understanding of human agendas. In many cases, when we don’t like the message, we attack the messenger personally. Attacks on the messenger’s associations, friends, even their family members aren’t off limits to some people in their attacks, regardless to whether their behavior is unethical or immoral, and in same cases illegal such as death threats or other forms of intimidation.

Mainstream media helped shape the Trayvon Martin murder trial with Ad hominem attacks and character assassination, just as in the case of Michael Brown, a young man controversially killed by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri.

In the case of Trayvon Martin, the mainstream media’s echoing question should have been “was Trayvon Martin shot in self-defense?” Instead, many media outlets focused on Trayvon’s delinquency in school, whether he had marijuana in his system, and whether he should have been wearing a ‘hoodie.’ All effectively used to distract the public and to character assassinate a 17-year-old boy.

(Video below) Geraldo Rivera of FOX News claims that the ‘hoodie’ was responsible for Trayvon Martin being shot and killed:

The problem of putting a name and face on the truth

Many people argue that nameless faceless users on the internet are “cowards” afraid to show their faces and should be dismissed but the truth is that some of these same users are socially aware enough to know that society often engages in personal attacks (Ad hominem) rather than actually attacking the message itself. Those who hate the truth will do whatever they can to drown out the message along with the messenger. Think about it.

The truth must be the main focus to make honest and educated decisions so it can be argued that more focus should be on the information given than the ethos of the speaker.

Do we even care about the truth anymore or are we more concerned that the news affirms our prejudices and caters to our egos? Rush Limbaugh has made his fortune doing this for decades. Limbaugh knows his audience and he feeds them with his Clear Channel tablespoon.

If we are truly looking for truth in the media, we must remember that the truth has no name, no face, and does not cater to any specific audience. It’s there for all willing to look for it and actually want to see and hear it, as well as smell and taste it.

It’s up to the people to find the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Before and after the truth: Mostly distraction and destruction to continue the ‘divide and conquer’ strategy on us all.

]]>https://www.firebrandcentral.com/truth-name-truth-face/2014/11/06/feed/0Eric Frein: The Manhunt Continueshttps://www.firebrandcentral.com/eric-frein-manhunt-continues/2014/09/25/
https://www.firebrandcentral.com/eric-frein-manhunt-continues/2014/09/25/#respondFri, 26 Sep 2014 02:50:19 +0000http://www.firebrandcentral.com/?p=4445Law enforcement still not able to find cop killer and FBI’s second most wanted Eric Frein On September 12th, survivalist and sharpshooter Eric Matthew Frein shot two Pennsylvania State troopers, killing one officer and injuring another. Due to the shooting, Frein made No.2 on the FBI’s top 10 most wanted list. Frein surpassed at least two people on the top 10 list who allegedly raped and murdered children (two at… Read More »

Law enforcement still not able to find cop killer and FBI’s second most wanted Eric Frein

On September 12th, survivalist and sharpshooter Eric Matthew Frein shot two Pennsylvania State troopers, killing one officer and injuring another.

Due to the shooting, Frein made No.2 on the FBI’s top 10 most wanted list. Frein surpassed at least two people on the top 10 list who allegedly raped and murdered children (two at the age of 5, 10, and 14).

It’s been almost two weeks and as many as 400 law enforcement officials, federal, state, and local, along with military officials, have been unsuccessful in capturing or killing Eric Matthew Frein.

Major resources and equipment being used in hunt for Eric Frein

Hunt for Eric Frein has many residents trapped in or displaced from their homes

Residents in Canadesis, PA are becoming angry with police because residents have been denied access to their homes or the right to exit their homes for work, school, etc..

Many residents of Canadensis, a village in eastern Pennsylvania, are fed up with the unexpected and indefinite roadblocks during the manhunt for the self-taught survivalist.

Some locals have started sleeping in their cars because they cannot return to home. Their neighborhoods have been cordoned off.

Joshua Prince, an attorney, is seeking residents affected by the police manhunt and claims that he’s been contacted by residents who believe their constitutional rights were violated by police. According to Lehigh Valley Live, “In one case, according to Prince, residents in a Monroe County home had to leave behind their three dogs after police ordered them out Sunday. The residents have not been allowed to return to care for their dogs since, he said.” Prince says about his firm that “we are looking out for those individuals who have no relation to the shooter and whose lives have been turned upside down by the Pennsylvania State Police and the FBI.” In regards to law enforcement, Prince stated that “their job is to uphold the Constitution, not to violate innocent people’s lives.”

The law office posted its efforts to seek residents wrongly affected by the manhunt on its website.

One couple claims pursuit of Eric Frein almost cost them their lives

On Sunday, a New York couple that was picked up at the Pocono Medical Center ER, temporarily staying at the Paradise Stream resort, claimed that the police ran them off the road in pursuit of Frein and totaled their vehicle, nearly killing the husband and wife. The husband said,”The police ran us off of the road and almost killed us. They had no regard for our lives. Only to catch Frein, that’s all that mattered.”

Manhunt likely to be considered a misguided manhunt if Eric Frein not apprehended soon

The search for Eric Frein has brought about hundreds of law enforcement officials, helicopters, and other high-tech search apparatus such as a critical incident vehicle called the rook. If the hunt of Frein continues, the exhaustion of state resources will be inevitable along with public support in capturing one man. With the focus on several counties and townships by local, state, and federal officials in the manhunt of Eric Matthew Frein, the FBI’s No.2 most wanted must be taken in or there’s a great likelihood that the widespread search and public inconvenience will find much of the public classifying the effort as a misguided manhunt, and a desperate and feverish attempt to gain retribution for fellow law enforcement officers.

]]>https://www.firebrandcentral.com/eric-frein-manhunt-continues/2014/09/25/feed/0Second Amendment’s Real Historyhttps://www.firebrandcentral.com/second-amendments-real-history/2014/09/10/
https://www.firebrandcentral.com/second-amendments-real-history/2014/09/10/#commentsWed, 10 Sep 2014 08:24:39 +0000http://www.firebrandcentral.com/?p=4384The Second Amendment was ratified to preserve slavery. Here’s the proof. I found an article on the website Truthout, written by Thom Hartmann, and it made it very clear on the intent of the ratification of the Second Amendment. According to Hartmann, “The real reason the Second Amendment was ratified, and why it says ‘State’ instead of ‘Country’ (the Framers knew the difference – see the 10th Amendment), was to… Read More »

The Second Amendment was ratified to preserve slavery. Here’s the proof.

I found an article on the website Truthout, written by Thom Hartmann, and it made it very clear on the intent of the ratification of the Second Amendment.

According to Hartmann, “The real reason the Second Amendment was ratified, and why it says ‘State’ instead of ‘Country’ (the Framers knew the difference – see the 10th Amendment), was to preserve the slave patrol militias in the southern states, which was necessary to get Virginia’s vote. Founders Patrick Henry, George Mason, and James Madison were totally clear on that . . . and we all should be too.”

“In the beginning, there were the militias. In the South, they were also called the ‘slave patrols,’ and they were regulated by the states,” Hartmann stated.

Hartmann explains that, before the American Revolution and in the State of Georgia, “laws were passed in 1755 and 1757 that required all plantation owners or their male white employees to be members of the Georgia Militia, and for those armed militia members to make monthly inspections of the quarters of all slaves in the state.” This makes perfect sense since white male slave owners, such as Founding Father James Madison who himself owned hundreds of slaves, would not be able to stop a slave rebellion without a ‘well regulated militia’ to keep the slaves in captivity.

Patrick Henry was a big supporter of the state’s gun laws to maintain slavery, but was afraid that the powers given to the federal government by the new Constitution would strip states of their slave-patrol militias.

This information convincingly supports the claim that the Second Amendment and state gun laws and were founded in race, historically.

More history on gun laws

In 1967, the NRA supported the passing of the Mulford Act, passed by California Governor and future president Ronald Reagan, because of the rise of the Black Panthers and their support for individuals carrying guns in public, for self-defense; a law that was passed to curtail the power of the Panthers, and to thwart black ownership of guns.

In present time, we have what are called the ‘Stand Your Ground’ laws that were drafted by the NRA and promoted by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). These laws allow persons who feel that there is an “imminent threat” to use deadly force against a person, even if they are unarmed and the alleged perpetrator is not pursuing them at the time. Different versions of this law has been passed across the country, particularly in southern states like Florida, where the law has been in the midst of controversy and complaints that the law only works to protect whites, which would appear to give license to white supremacists to murder blacks and other minorities. The George Zimmerman trial for the killing of a black, 17-year-old male named Trayvon Martin raised public outcry, and mass opposition to the ‘Stand Your Ground’ laws. Zimmerman was acquitted for killing Trayvon Martin in mid-July of this year.

Second Amendment in retrospect

We as a country need to take an honest look at what the gun laws and the Second Amendment really represents. The evidence overwhelmingly displays that race is engrained in the history of our gun laws in the U.S., and its function is to maintain a racial ‘status quo’ of social control and power.

This is something that has to change if there is ever to be peace and equality. That’s assuming that justice actually means something in America and I can only pray that it does.

]]>https://www.firebrandcentral.com/second-amendments-real-history/2014/09/10/feed/2Hobby Lobby Beats Women’s Healthcarehttps://www.firebrandcentral.com/hobby-lobby-beats-womens-healthcare/2014/07/16/
https://www.firebrandcentral.com/hobby-lobby-beats-womens-healthcare/2014/07/16/#respondThu, 17 Jul 2014 01:34:01 +0000http://www.firebrandcentral.com/?p=4180Supreme Court allows Hobby Lobby to force religion on employee healthcare On June 30th, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that an arts and crafts company named Hobby Lobby can refuse to pay certain forms of contraception in employee healthcare benefits based on its religious beliefs. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg stated in her dissent for the minority: The exemption sought by Hobby Lobby and Conestoga would override significant interests of the… Read More »

On June 30th, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that an arts and crafts company named Hobby Lobby can refuse to pay certain forms of contraception in employee healthcare benefits based on its religious beliefs.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg stated in her dissent for the minority:

The exemption sought by Hobby Lobby and Conestoga would override significant interests of the corporations’ employees and covered dependents. It would deny legions of women who do not hold their employers’ beliefs access to contraceptive coverage that the ACA would otherwise secure.

Justice Ginsburg’s dissenting statement concludes that not only does the ruling allow corporations to deny a multitude of women significant health benefits; it also makes the Affordable Care Act (ACA) less effective.

Additionally, Amy Davidson of The New Yorker asserted that

Hobby Lobby is really asserting two religious beliefs: that abortion is immoral and that the kinds of contraception it doesn’t want to pay for are, in fact, a form of abortion, even though the scientific evidence says they are not. The majority defers to both of these beliefs.

The Huffington Post writer Kim Bhasin also chimed in on the controversial ruling, addressing the “gaping hole” in Hobby Lobby’s religious beliefs against abortion:

Hobby Lobby remains quiet about its dealings in China. The company did not respond to requests for a list of Chinese factories it does business with, and did not provide information about what percentage of its merchandise comes from China.

Then there’s China’s controversial record on abortion. The country’s one-child policy was slightly relaxed in 2013, but the family planning bureaucracy still exists. Since the government instituted the policy 40 years ago, there have been more than 330 million abortions in China, according to health ministry data cited by the Financial Times.

Potential consequences for Court decision in favor of Hobby Lobby

This Supreme Court ruling has the potential to perpetuate more Constitutional challenges to the healthcare law based on religious beliefs; one example of a potential challenge would be the multitude who don’t believe in vaccinations. This group could easily argue the same religious right of exemption similar to the way Hobby Lobby and Conestoga did in the Supreme Court. Companies that don’t believe in vaccinations could refuse to pay for employee healthcare benefits under the same premise, regardless if the Supreme Court claims otherwise.

Most states in the U.S. allow religious exemptions from vaccinations. According Dr. Joseph Mercola, in an article he wrote back in December 2011,

All 50 states allow a medical exemption to vaccination (medical exemptions must be approved by an M.D. or D.O.); 48 states allow a religious exemption to vaccination; and 18 states allow a personal, philosophical or conscientious belief exemption to vaccination.

However, also be aware that vaccine exemptions are currently under attack in every state because the wealthy and powerful Pharma/Medical Industry lobby is trying to take them away, especially the religious and philosophical or conscientious belief exemptions.

Note that most states allow for religious exemptions from vaccinations yet the Supreme Court made an exception for certain female contraception but at the same time the Court states that, according to ABC News, “other coverage requirements, such as immunizations, may be supported by different interests (for example, the need to combat the spread of infectious diseases) and may involve different arguments about the least restrictive means of providing them.” Since it’s legal for families to gain exemption in states for personal and religious reasons from vaccinations, and since corporations are afforded the same rights as ‘flesh and blood’ persons under the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, it’s highly reasonable to say that certain companies will refuse to pay for vaccinations under the same rights.

Despite whether you agree or disagree with Chief Justice John Roberts Court’s judicial interpretations and decisions, it appears that there’s a good chance that the Roberts Court will be regarded by many as the most controversial, regressive, anti-secular, anti-women’s rights, and pro-corporate Supreme Court in U.S. history.